Birmingham Office Space increased at Arena Central

Birmingham mixed-use regeneration scheme Arena Central has received planning permission to increase the maximum permitted office space from 500,000 sq ft to no more than 800,000 sq ft.

It is hoped the revised planning permission will kick start the prime Birmingham city centre mixed use scheme for Miller Developments and Bridgehouse Capital, Arena Central Developments LLP (ACDL).

Existing buildings at the site between Suffolk Street Queensway and Broad Street, include Alpha Tower and the Crowne Plaza hotel.

Jonathan Wallis, director of Miller Developments, said the new plan was in line with the Big City Plan Stage 2 for Westside.

“We estimate that the additional 300,000 sq ft of offices will generate over 2,000 office based jobs in the coming years,” he added.

Despite the increase in office space, the overall permitted development size of 2.3 million sq ft will remain, with a commitment to deliver BREEAM ‘Excellent’ buildings as a minimum standard.

Martin Guest, managing director of CBRE Birmingham, joint letting agents on the scheme with GVA, said:  “Arena Central is already extremely well placed to capture any bespoke pre-let enquiries. The increased office capacity to 800,000 sq ft will further enhance its appeal, making it the city centre’s largest consented, deliverable, office scheme.”

The initial demolition phase at the Arena Central site is now complete, ensuring ACDL is ready to respond rapidly when new enquiries arise by removing the longer lead-in elements of the development programme.

Coun Timothy Huxtable, cabinet member for Transportation and Regeneration, at Birmingham City Council, added: “Alongside projects such as New Street Station, The Library of Birmingham, Eastside and HS2, Arena Central is one of the key cornerstones of development which will underpin Birmingham’s future as laid out in the Big City Plan.

“Our ability to provide high quality office space in key strategic locations within the city will be key to our growth as the economy emerges from the downturn.”